November FET

sunnyrain2

I started Lupron and Prometrium this morning. Transfer should be in roughly a month. This is our last transfer so I hope it works. Next step is baseline when AF shows

artemis618

@DecemberDoll27  I was happy not to have any shots for this - just estrace tablets and will start progesterone vaginally on the 28th. As @adirat said, they will give you an antagonist if it looks like you have a rogue follicle.

Just had monitoring appointment after not quite a week of taking estradiol - lining is already 10.xxmm and trilaminar, so still on track (in fact soon to be officially scheduled in the system) for an 11/2 transfer!

[Deleted User]

@artemis618 omg so exciting to be THIS CLOSE to being scheduled!!!!

artemis618

@BusinessWife Haha, thanks.  I think it was a bit of a training technicality, but as of now I have a 10am appointment time to transfer on 11/2 (of course I may get shifted to accommodate the morning’s ERs).  But at least now I have something to tell my acupuncturist

safire3

@DecemberDoll27 I think you got a lot of good info. I am on Lupron but I think my clinic just likes it. Mine cost over $600 from Freedom pharmacy but others have gotten it from Walmart with a coupon from Goodrx for under $200.

So I finally had baseline yesterday and AF is here after stopping bcp last week. I started estrogen patches yesterday and the antibiotics. I had an aweful migraine last night which I am blaming on the estrogen. 

@Bababatty I also worry about the risk of blood clots with estrogen but I figure during IVF my estrogen level was over 2000 and I was fine. Is it expected to be even higher with these meds?

I'm also fighting a cold so if I'm MIA over the next few days that is why. Trying to rest as much as I can and make sure my body is ready by FET time. I'm still on track for 11/4 although you guys seem to get monitored much more frequently than me. I go back in 2 weeks when I should start crinone if all looks good. 

Oh and some good news! We finally found out we don't have to pay any extra for our frozen transfer since our fresh transfer was cancelled by the storm. So basically we are doing a frozen transfer for a fresh transfer price! 

Irisheyes81

@safire3 That's great news! Your story is incredible with that storm.  So sorry you aren't feeling well and have med headaches on top of that  

@artemis618 Yay for November 2nd! 

JamieH2000

@artemis618- yay for getting scheduled and your lining is amazing already! I am worried since I have been on estrogen less than a week and mine is thinner than where they want it

@safire3- wow that is crazy about the hurricane! You are thawing and then letting grow to day 5? glad you don't have to pay anymore- I don't think you should have too! I hope you feel better soon. Hopefully you will get your cold out of the way now and be healthy for transfer!

AFM, a little concerned after my first monitoring today. The tech didn't give me a number, but said my lining was thinner than where they want it at 7 days, but I actually have only been on estrogen 5.5 days (and it was just one patch thurs night and 1 new patch sunday morning). This morning I put on 2 new patches and it looks like I am supposed to put on 4 news on Friday, so I would imagine it would really start to thicken up then. They will call with instructions and likely add vaginal estrace (yay!- not). Whatever it takes though! I should also get an update on the donor this afternoon. I hope things are all growing together for her... that part is more important than my lining, since we could always freeze and transfer a little later. We just need to get those embryos first! Anyone else not have a great first lining check and then get it all good by the next monitoring? I've never done a medicated cycle like this, but haven't had lining issues in my fresh cycle, but then I had lots of natural estrogen then which I don't have now...

Bababatty

@sunnyrain2 Great news about starting the Lupron and Prometrium!  FX for this transfer.

@adirat Thanks!  I was surprised when the pharmacy said they had it because we hadn't discussed prednisolone this cycle, but that makes sense.

@artemis618 Yay for good response and probable date!  We might be transfer buddies.

@safire3 I am so happy to hear they're not charging you anything else since you had to change course with the storm.  That's fantastic!  When will they thaw your embies so they can grow more?  Also good point about how high our estrogens were during ER.  I apparently just need something to worry about with every cycle; before the ER I was terrified of ovarian torsion, which I guess is a pretty common fear, haha.

@JamieH2000 I don't know anything about lining timings, but can you ask the nurse or doc when they call with instructions?  I hope it's just a little low and things will perk up soon.  Also hoping for good news about your donor's progress this afternoon!

safire3

@JamieH2000 I’m not sure but at least you still have a lot of time to thicken that lining. I won’t even get checked until I’ve been on the estrogen patches for 2 weeks so hopefully it’s just early for you. Hoping for a good report from the donor!

@Bababatty The embies will be thawed 5 days before the transfer and allowed to grow to blast before transfer. I’m super nervous about it but trying to think positive and hope for the best. As for the estrogen thing this is my first rodeo so I don’t know, I’m just speculating. Wondering too if natural estrogens are tolerated bettter. Either way I’m going to try to stay active too.

DecemberDoll27

Hey Ladies! It is official! Transfer is scheduled for December 1st! ( can I still hangout with you though?) We are going with long lupron protocol. So I will start that in like 10 days! I am so excited! I was hoping for no needles this time around but Lupron and PIO are in my future :-) 

JamieH2000

@decemberdoll27- yay for having a date!! definitely keep hanging out with us! The lupron isn't too bad.. i had headaches when I started, but they went away after a little. My biggest complaint is sometimes the insulin needs you use to inject it just seem dull and have a hard time going in. But hopefully you won't have any issues!

@bababatty and @safire3- thanks ladies! I did just talk to my clinic and it sounds like my lining is at 5.4mm (but trilinear at least) and estrogen is only 58. They want it to be at 7.0 and estrogen at 150 by this time, so we are adding in vaginal estrace twice per day. They wanted me to come back friday, but with our trip thurs-sun, I can't go until Monday. While I am glad to get away, I am just hoping its ok to wait until Monday for another check. They said we would still have time to make further adjustments if needed on Monday. For the donor, things are looking good! After only 3 nights of stims, she has 6 measurable follies out of 30 follicles! They said they expect more to be measurable on Friday and estrogen is already 700s, so things are looking good. She goes back on Friday, so hoping I have service in the mountains so i can get that update call!

adirat

@DecemberDoll27 Yay for a date! Of course you should stay with us!

@JamieH2000 Sorry it wasn't better news...fwiw what I've seen indicates that the trilaminar lining is more important than thickness. I'm nervous about mine too. My first ultrasound is tomorrow.

For those of you on estrace, are you having ewcm? I am getting a frankly disgusting amount of ewcm yesterday and today. The RE said the estrace should prevent ovulation so I think/hope it's just the estrogen but I'm of course secretly terrified my fet will be canceled.

artemis618

@JamieH2000 Try not to worry - it is still early and increasing your meds should make a difference.

@DecemberDoll27  Sorry about shots, but yay for a (December) date!

@adirat Yup on the CM - I could tell I definitely felt more estrogen-y over the past few days. Actually I felt that way after like 3 days of stims this past IVF cycle too.  Pretty sure it’s just the estrogen, though with monitoring only once a week I am trusting the Estrace to do its thing!  Hope your appointment tomorrow is uneventful.

adirat

Thanks @artemis618 -- that makes me feel a little more relaxed! I'm eager to see how it goes tomorrow...

safire3

@JamieH2000 I'm sure it will be better by Monday with those changes. It's still early so you have time and that is an awesome update on the donor!

@adirat I haven't personally seen that yet but I'm on patches and I just started. I've seen other ladies complain of this though. You can always do an OPK to make sure you are not ovulating but it is probably the effects of the estrogen. Hope you lining check goes well tomorrow!

@DecemberDoll27 Yay for a date and yes please stay with us!

adirat

I had my fet lining check this morning. No follicles to note so the ewcm is just from the estrace. Lining is fine and already trilaminar which is good. I have another week of estrogen and another lining check next Thursday. My fet has been scheduled for Mon 11/6. I guess I don't know anything about this but does it seem weird that it's still another week of estrogen and fet is so far away? My lining is already good. It's confusing.  

artemis618

Yay @adirat!  Glad things are on track . I think at that point it may be a function of scheduling?  My PA said that I had to be on the estrogen for a minimum of 14 days + 5 days progesterone, and for my clinic Thursday is the day (again when all the docs are at the location with the lab instead of at satellites).  So the Thursday before for me would not have worked given those constraints.

DecemberDoll27

@adirat congrats on great lining! Also did I miss your PGS results? Do you have them yet?

AFM, I am on cloud nine! Meds are ordered and they are so cheap compared to stims! I am starting Lupron on the 29th already! I can't wait to start sticking myself with needles again! ( IF does weird things to people I guess)

Irisheyes81

Yay @adirat!! Sounds like things are going so well. I agree with @artemis618.  At least with my clinic, the time is all contingent on scheduling.  They have full control over a FET but not a retrieval.  Such exciting news.

sunnyrain2

Anyone have experience with Prometrium or Provera? I haven’t taken it in about 5 years and don’t remember this side effect. My progesterone was really low this cycle so RE prescribed 10 days to ensure I get AF. I have PCOS and missed cycles is not uncommon nor is very low progesterone for me. I’m taking it in the morning and about an hour later I get dizzy/spinny sensations when I move. It usually wears off by lunch. Since I’ve already started it and am on it for such a short time I a bit reluctant to switch to a night dose. I’m afraid to take the stairs at work now because dizzy. 

artemis618

@adirat Ditto @DecemberDoll27  Have you gotten your PGD results yet?

Also, my last RE said I could do a natural cycle FET, but it is potentially annoying for scheduling, and if it didn’t work then I’d of course have wondered whether medicated would have made a difference.

JamieH2000

@adirat- yay for a good lining check! That does seem a little long to wait until transfer but it seems like they can hold thick linings for a while by just keeping us on lots of estrogen! It sounds far but hopefully it will come soon!

@decemberdoll27- I know what you mean about being excited for sticking yourself with needles... I feel the same. Obviously sticking with needles is not fun but it’s just the whole getting started thing after so much waiting!! Time goes faster once the mess start I feel like!


@sunnyrain2- I did provera once but i don’t think I had any side effects. Maybe ask your clinic about switching to night time? Whenever the meds make me feel off I just try to flush my system with lots of liquids and that seems to help some.. hope the dizziness goes away soon!

@artemis618- it’s hard when they give you choices! Did you decide to do a medicated FET?

adirat

Thanks everyone! I guess the timing facet all makes sense, just annoying. We're still waiting on our PGD results, too, but it could be literally any day now...

@DecemberDoll27 So glad it's less expensive this time! I laughed your injection comment.

Bababatty

@adirat The CM on Estrace really is surprising! I'm glad you asked because I just noticed it myself today and I might have been inclined to panic. I'm not sure about the timing. You're ahead of me in your cycle, I think, but my RE is projecting my transfer to be sooner. Hmmm. 

adirat

@Bababatty I started estrogen on October 11 (cd2) and my FET will be November 6. You're the week before that, right?

artemis618

@JamieH2000 That was my last RE who gave me the option - and I specifically inquired about it because I’d just finished my last of three IVF cycles this year without a break and was kind of feeling over drugs.  I didn’t ask this RE about it, so I’ve been taking Estrace since my b-day (10/10 - which was CD3).

Bababatty

@adirat I started estrace Oct.15 (cd3). Just based on the baseline u/s and blood work they're currently projecting Nov. 2 for FET, but I know that will probably change at my follow up on Monday. At your baseline they were predicting FET a couple of days before your current date, right?

adirat

@bababatty Yes, originally they were projecting Nov 1-3. I don't know why it's Nov. 6 now, though, because my lining was fine today. I'm guessing it's just scheduling as @artemis618 and @irisheyes81 said. I'm trying not to stress about it... which, lol

coco305

@safire3 how are you feeling with the patches?? Did you start lupron too? I'm on my 3rd round of 5 patches and Saturday I go back down to 2. 

@irisheyes81 did you get your results yet? I hear ya about the bday big being bad once you have embryos frozen. I was like, yay well they're still 40yo 

@bababatty I'm also going to be doing medrol along with doxycycline- I have no idea why, this is my first ivf. But it's only for the 4 days prior to FET. 

@funkykey when it comes to ivf the isolation part is the worst. Sometimes I feel like my DH is faraway. Only cause he's just observing, never mind my friends, they're happy for me, but they don't know what it's like. But then I remind myself that I'm not the only fighting a battle. This board helps a lot. It's nice to be able to discuss uterine lining and not have to give a giant backstory ️

@decemberdoll27 I hear ya on being excited to stick yourself again - I was actually missing it in September, and it's not that I'm a sadist, it's that I loved being in control of my reproductive organs for once. My ovaries have spent their life doing whatever the eff they want, and now it was my turn to be in control. But now I'm on lupron, and patches. Looks like you'll be on it soon. Let me know if you have questions about it. 

@artemis yay for a great lining! 

@adirat Today i noticed ewcm - must be the estrogen

@jamieh2000 you still have time for the lining to thicken. They checked me after 12 days. And yay for 6 measurable follicles!! Honestly, try the home remedies for thickening. Wear socks,  eat/drink pomegranate. Are you on baby aspirin?

AFM: I went in for my lining check yesterday (cd13, 13 days of patches and at the end of my lupron protocol) my lining is a whopping 16.9mm, I was scared my estrogen would be through the roof but it's at 242. Low progesterone, but that's normal for me, plus I start PIO on Saturday - transfer is 1 week away!! 

tinjp78

@BusinessWife Hello. Thanks for sharing info on what you're taking right now. I'm encouraged by your effort.

@laurad75 hoping the paperwork is progressing along well. 

@Crystal321 How is everything going? Im cheering you on to achieve that weight goal you've set.

@JamieH2000 how did that mini-vacation you had? Hoping you had a nice R&R. You deserve it. I'm also hoping your donor's stims is going along well.

@Bababatty  Thank you for the hugs, I badly need them since no one in my family know about my IVF and they are so far away.

@Irisheyes81 Advance happy birthday! I hope that you'd have a wonderful day celebrating it. 

safire3

Wooohooo @coco305! One week away already? You must be the first here to go. So exciting! Good luck with the PIO on Saturday!
I'm doing ok on the patches so far but still only doing one at a time. I step up next week so we will see what the side effects are like then. I've been on Lupron for what seems like forever now and no side effects with that this time around either, thank goodness. 

coco305

@safire3 yes I'm for sure one of the firsts, I'm crashing the November FET party  
I started to really feel the patches when I got to 4. Overall they haven't been fun for me, and when I told my nurse she was like "Whattttt? you're the first person to not like them" Hopefully you continue to have no issues, I had nausea and headaches as of day 1. 

@tinjp78 How are you doing?? Feeling better?? 

tinjp78

Oh wow, I could hardly keep up with the posts. I've been reading but I kept my replies in my head. 

AF came yesterday and now I'm on Estrana (estradiol) 0.72mg 2patches for every 2days. I'll meet with my dr 10/27.

Exactly how I felt after seeing the crimson tide

coco305

@tinjp78 YAY!! you finally got AF. So happy for you, I know you were anxiously waiting for it. 

tinjp78

@coco305 Hello. I'm ok now, thanks. I'm on estrogen patches now. It's my first time. Are you on them too? I frankly don't have a clue on what to expect. I just started googling them as soon as I stuck them on my tummy this morning.

funkykey

tinjp78 said:

@Irisheyes81 Advance happy birthday! I hope that you'd have a wonderful day celebrating it. 

Did I miss something?! Is it your birthday @Irisheyes81?!

Irisheyes81

@coco305 that is amazing lining!!! Wow!  All your numbers look great. How are you feeling?? Transfer is so soon! I don’t start PIO until 11/11 so any advice about how that goes wild be great. You might have said this but, what did you not like about the patches?? I got my thyroid back and it’s at 2.5!!!! No delays. I was so glad. Thanks so much for asking. 

@tinjp78 thanks for the birthday wishes!!! You’re so sweet to remember. I feel like I should update my age to say I’m 36 but my embryos are 35. yay for AF and the patches! I’m so glad you’re feeling better. 

@funkykey my birthday is next week. @tinjp78 remembered which is so sweet. I love this forum so much. 

Hope everyone one has a wonderful Friday.  What are everyone’s plans for the weekend? 

coco305

@Irisheyes81 yay for good results- the patches gave me nausea and headaches, but mainly nausea. I can barely eat at night. So yay to unintentional weight loss. Now, I'm the only person who seems to feel this on the patches, so I think you'll be ok. 

Bababatty

@coco305 WOW for that lining! Amazing!! FET is so close for you. FX all continues to go well! I'm sorry your patches are giving you headaches and nausea. Ughhhhh 

@tinjp78 AF came!! Yaaaaaay!!!! So happy for you because I know how stressed it was making you. I'm so glad that you can get started now!

@Irisheyes81 Great news on the thyroid!

@adirat I hope I didn't make you panic. I'm sure it's for scheduling or similar. If there was a potential problem, I think they'd tell you.  FX for your PGD results!

AFM this weekend I'm going to a friend's birthday, volunteering at our church's workday at our family center, and probably cleaning. Next time we move we're definitely getting an apartment with a dishwasher because I'm so tired of the constant pile of dishes.

adirat

@Irisheyes81 So glad you got good results and you can move forward! So funny to look forward to a PIO date, amirite? 

@bababatty Not at all, I'm sure it's scheduling! OMG I wish I had a dishwasher, too. We're in NY (are you also?) and dishwashers are unspeakably rare. It's depressing. 

I found out today that my acupuncturist will be out of town the day of my FET, which is so sad because I wanted to make sure to do acupuncture the morning of transfer...oh well.

No weekend plans here...early next week I'm traveling for work so probably just relaxing and doing some laundry first. If I'm not around TB next week, happy early birthday @irisheyes81!